The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

Dit is a young boy who often feels a bit overshadowed by his large family. So when he hears that his town's new postmaster has a son just his age, Dit is very excited to have a friend to spend time with. Unfortunately things don't turn out quite as expected - When the postmaster arrives Dit discovers that not only is the boy who was supposed to be his friend a girl named Emma, but the family is colored. And in 1917 in the deep South of Alabama, this is a huge deal.

But as Dit gets to know Emma, he begins to realize that even though things aren't turning out quite as he planned they can still be great. Emma isn't very good at fishing and hates the idea of Dit hunting, but she can tell a great story. And maybe she isn't used to getting dirty or playing baseball, but she's willing to try. It turns out that Emma is actually a great friend, and she and Dit become unlikely companions for the summer. But when school begins in the fall, the two of them encounter prejudice for their friendship as they are forced to attend different schools and are teased by other children who Dit had considered friends. Once, Dit would not have questioned what these people are doing and would have even joined right in. But now that the teasing involves him and his friend, he begins to appreciate what it means to treat his fellow man with respect no matter who they are. But racism in Moundville doesn't happen to just these two children, and Dit and Emma soon become involved in a bloody conflict between the town's sheriff and its black barber. Can the two of them see that justice is done despite the town's prejudices?

This is yet another great first novel by newcomer Kristin Levine. She has crafted a touching novel that deals not only with racism in a manner that is easily accessible to children, but also with what it means to be a friend in an even more general sense. The story is somewhat episodic in nature, but many of the individual episodes build off of each other as the novel progresses. Somewhat similar in style to Richard Peck's much beloved books (A Long Way from Chicago, A Year Down Yonder, etc.) The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had is an easy story to fall in to for anyone who enjoys historical fiction, tales of friendship, or multicultural tales. I'd definitely recommend this book to just about anyone - it'll find a place in your heart.

My one complaint as a librarian: The cover of this book isn't exactly kid-friendly. I have trouble imagining an 11-year-old being instantly drawn to it and I fear that the book will therefore be passed up, which is a shame considering the book's amazing quality. However, this is an easy one for me to booktalk and "sell" to kids, parents, and teachers vocally. Here's hoping that this extra effort will get the book into enough hands.

Overall Grade: A+